Town needs places of enjoyment

There is no point in the council converting the old bingo hall and trying to run it as a theatre. Ashford councillors simply do not have the ability to run an establishment of this nature. The council is too hung up on new buildings and driving up rateable incomes to even consider that people actually want something that is of benefit and betterment of their work-life cycle. They are taking each and every development in and outside of the town as an individual cash cow. To them, a theatre that will require, significant investment and may or may not show a return in profits, is a step too far. Allowing 5750 houses to be built on prime arable land, however, they know exactly how much they will gain by and the money will continue to pour in. A theatre is a business just like any other, what do most council representatives know about running business? Most will have never been involved in a commercial enterprise. But most have also forgotten that the ratepayers of Ashford borough are expecting the council to do what the electorate ask them to do, not what they feel like. We need places that bring enjoyment and stimulate our minds. We now have two cinemas, neither giving real value for money and showing the same films. Just to disprove some of the councillor’s views that it would mean an increase in council tax, I have provided publicly available records of three theatre companies, that operate theatres in Kent area, these speak for themselves. Of course, you must have sound business judgement to run such an establishment, do we have that in ABC? The Marlowe Theatre Development Trust 2017 accounts showed a £79,718 retained profit; Ambassador Theatre Group which runs Leas Cliff Hall Theatre, Folkestone and many others, 2017 accounts show retained profit of £9,096,000; Orchard Theatre Dartford 03/18 accounts show retained profit of £512,515. It can be positive, in many ways and for all, if the will and the ability are forthcoming. Matthew Peach, Old Surrenden Manor Road, Great Chart